


Best Served Cold

by JillianK



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Auror Harry, Azkaban, Draco Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-07-10
Updated: 2014-07-10
Packaged: 2018-02-08 05:18:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,641
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1928070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JillianK/pseuds/JillianK
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Some wounds can never be healed; some sins can only be washed away in blood. Draco Malfoy goes to Azkaban and pays for more than his sins.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Post-Deathly Hallows. Ignores Epilogue.

***Ministry of Magic***

The elderly witch touched her verbena scented handkerchief to her temple trying to dispel an emerging headache. Stubborn men made her ill even if they were the Minister of Magic. She tried again hoping that a bit of common sense would break pronouncements made of concrete.

"As I have said in the past minister Shacklebolt, we must be vigilant in our actions." Her eyes were rheumy but steady. She was an old warrior. "We must be certain that the people we appoint to serve do so in good faith."

Shacklebolt's jaw tightened in annoyance. His dealings with the Wizengamot were usually far from pleasant and this was no exception. Still, he had to tread carefully.

"This appointment has been carefully considered, Ms. Marchbanks. Burbage is of an excellent reputation"

"It's Grizelda, Minister" she said curtly "I have no doubts on Chronos' abilities; in fact I vouched for him in his current appointment but this was before he lost dear Charity in such a horrible fashion. Such a tragedy will break even the strongest of men."

"Burbage is steady." The minister reiterated.

Her head began to pound. She was very close to spanking the man with her wand. "Not so from what I've heard. He has taken his wife's death very hard, especially after the details of what she suffered those last few days at Malfoy Manor. He cannot hurt Voldemort but as head of the department of Death Eater re-education, he will have unchecked access to dozens of condemned criminals; the younger felons in particular."

"Do not think that I am disregarding your wisdom, Grizelda. However, I have to believe that good and honorable people will remain so even under trying circumstances. Burbage is an experienced professional and he will not let the prejudices of war affect his work. Those misguided children require a strong hand to counteract the effects of the doctrine they have been subjected to."

"I wish you'd reconsider. Perhaps Arthur…"

"The decision has been made Grizelda. I trust it is the correct one."

The old witch sighed. The minister was standing his ground in this most misguided of ventures. 

"I can only hope that I am proven wrong minister. I would fear to see how grief can twist a good man and make him into someone capable of hurting the most defenseless"

****Azkaban Prison. North Sea****

Chronos Burbage watched expressionless from his office window as the latest ministry boat reached its destination in the far corner of the island. Adjacent to the simple dock stood the prison's processing center. It was a concrete structure where the young prisoners would be undressed, checked for contraband and given the uniforms that they would wear for their stay. Their wands had been confiscated at the ministry when they were first arrested and would be kept there until their release date. Each prisoner would be fitted with a black metal cuff meant to act as a tracking device and portkey to their assigned cell. Immediately after locking the cuff, it would activate and the wearer would be deposited in their appropriate cell.

No mess, no errors and zero drama. It was Burbage's specialty.

Hence, no visits. Ever. Shacklebolt had vacillated on that a bit but at the end had been made to see the wisdom of this practice. Without any outside contact, the subjects would be much more malleable and open to the re-education that was meant to be part of their experience at this section of Azkaban. It would also keep family interference to a minimum.

Without freedom, without support and subjected to the most spartan conditions and strictest discipline, the young criminals would soon see the error of their ways. Their hatred would mold itself into dependence leaving them well-mannered and fearful of authority.

Leaving his post by the window, the middle-aged wizard's eyes fell on the small portrait that sat on the mantel. The woman pictured was thin and wispy haired but with a soft, happy smile. Burbage looked away before the picture had a chance to blow kisses at him. She'd been dead for more than a year but he had no marble gravestone to remember her by. Her body had not been recovered from the serpent's entrails.

He had need of a better marker

With an unflinching step the man exited his office to welcome Azkaban's newest residents.

XxXxXxXx

Only Draco Malfoy still carried himself with arrogance.

In those shabby prison robes, the Malfoy heir tried to look as distinguished as if he wore Twilfit and Tatting's priciest garbs. With the grey material blending in with his similarly hued pallor this was impossible but Draco refused to give in. He squared his shoulders and held his head high. His silver eyes shone in clear defiance.

Chronos found this extremely disagreeable. It was about time the boy learned humility. He would enjoy seeing those eyes lowered in misery and that body bowed in submission.

No time like the present. It was time for prisoner classification anyway.

There were five boys this time. Four of those five were there under relatively minor connections to the Death Eaters. They would average a couple of years in the medium security wing of the prison. It was his job to see that they would suffer enough to never risk returning again but they weren't his focus. The blond with the superiority complex was.

Guardwizard Herrick had given the order that was designed to quickly acclimate the prisoners to their new status.

"Robes off and hands on the wall." He said brusquely.

They were stunned. The younger ones looked about for the exits which were conveniently being guarded. Draco Malfoy himself looked horrified but managed insolence.

"Why?" he ventured uneasily. "That's a waste of time. They checked us at the ministry."

Herrick turned to look at Warden Burbage who had a disquieting look in his eyes. Burbage nodded almost imperceptibly. Herrick complied.

Mere moments later the Malfoy heir found himself divested of his robes and pushed to his knees. He gasped at the rough treatment and his body trembled in shame. He tried to rise but Herrick's heavy grasp on his vulnerable neck kept him from doing so. After a few minutes he gave up and settled down. Warden Burbage narrowed his eyes but when he spoke his voice was emotionless.

"Now then… I see that your incarceration has been well earned. Even with everything that you have lost you still remain a pretentious child who thinks that they have a say in what happens to them. You will soon learn that this is not the case."

With a surge of heated energy Draco bucked Herrick's hold and sprung to his feet. His bare body was pale and bony but he refused to lower his head. The other prisoners stood frozen in wonder at the boy's nerve. Burbage smiled. Draco would make it so easy for him to break him.

"I see that you are not ready to be taken to your cell as of yet. No matter." He motioned to the guards. Herrick! Carew! Take the prisoner to the courtyard and chain him to the post. A few days in the in the open like a cur might teach him some humility."

"You can't do that… its unsafe… it's illegal." Draco exclaimed in horror. "I'll freeze"

"Maybe…but it will teach you something. Hurry, there is a storm forecast and I wouldn't want you to miss it."

Draco dug his heels but was helpless to Carew's girth or Herrick's wrath. Pretty soon they had trapped him between both of them.

The two guards frog marched the nude prisoner into the through the door. The remaining inmates silently removed their clothing and allowed themselves to be searched. Warden Burbage breathed deeply and thought of the photograph on his mantel.

Vengeance would be sweet.

XxXxXxXx


	2. Chapter 2

Ensconced in his comfortable bed on the topmost wing of Azkaban prison Warden Burbage listened to the storm raging just outside his window. The wind-laden downpour was a strange balm to a soul haunted with memories both good and terrible. 

***Hogwarts 1993***

"I think its best if you give Dumbledore notice." Chronos told his wife as she was looking through a box of broken-down muggle music discs to see if any were salvageable. Charity barely raised her head from her task.

"Worrywart, I am not going to resign. It's just a ghoul. It's not like I am teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts" she said lightly and this bothered him a bit.

"A ghoul that destroyed your classroom…a ghoul that was released by a known Dark wizard" he emphasized.

Charity stopped her work and turned to her husband. "Honey he is just a child. As dangerous as Draco Malfoy thinks he is the fact remains that he only spouts what his parents have taught him. He has yet to see the world through his own eyes."

"He will only grow to follow his father."

"He will… if his is the only voice he hears. I am here to help these children understand that world is not exactly as they've been taught. I want them to know that muggles are just like us and to appreciate what that they have accomplished without magic."

Chronos smiled at her charming philosophy "And then save the world after bringing back the extinct snidget population. My dear you'll wear yourself out."

"Ah Chronos don't you believe that there is good in everyone if you look for it?" she rose and walked into his open arms.

"Not in everyone." He whispered while nuzzling her neck. Her pulse was strong and he took pleasure in the warmth of her skin.

"I do. I also believe that there is evil even in the kindest of men. It all depends in what is nourished in us."

"Are you saying that if I have a few dozen sour days I'll turn into the next Voldermort?"

Her grin was infectious "Hardly. I'll always be here to pull you back."

"Is that a promise?"

"For better or worse etc. etc." She said punctuating each word with a soft kiss.

***Azkaban Prison Present***

He opened his eyes to a bed that mirrored his heart. The bitterness was weighting especially heavy this morning.

The forecasted storm had blown over Azkaban's walls. The air had a damp aroma to it which made everything even drearier. Warden Burbage took his morning bath and slid into his robes. His personal elf had pressed them into perfect smoothness and starched the collar to his impeccable standards.

"Sunny!" he called out. A small elf wearing a grey hand towel appeared immediately.

"Yes Master Chronos sir" he said dutifully

"This morning I will be breakfasting in the balcony overlooking the courtyard. Please see to it."

"Yes Master. Will you be wanting something special?"

"The usual is fine and I am well aware of what the date is today. You are free to leave the grounds as soon as breakfast is over."

Sunny's large blue eyes brimmed with tears. "Oh thank you Master. You are so kind to let Sunny go to see Miss Charity."

"It's only an empty grave" he said grimly.

"But Miss Charity won't care. She'll know I was thinking of her on her birthday. Sunny will bringing the lilies she likes so much… and cake."

"You do that. I won't expect you back until tonight."

"Thank you sir, I'll be telling Miss Charity you remembered her birthday. She will be so happy."

And with that the flustered elf popped back into the kitchen to do as he was bid. The man exhaled and tried to ease the tightness that had settled in his jaw and neck at the mention of her name.

There was nothing for it. Resigned to another wretched day Warden Burbage left the room and went to see if the prisoner had learned to hold his serpent tongue.

XxXxXx

He had not.

"This is torture… and immoral" the young murderer squealed "I demand to see a mediwizard or be taken to St. Mungo's"

The warden stood before the boy who was shivering in the morning chill. He was still bound to the post that had been magicked to the middle of the courtyard. The post was made of solid grey maple that was charmed to icy coolness so that the wizard being punished would not be tempted to rest against it and lessen the discomfort. Hence Malfoy's chains were taut as he stood as far away from it as he could manage. His wrists have been rubbed to an inflamed red. Burbage wondered how soon would they start to bleed.

"No" he said simply and watched the indignation descend on Draco's pale features.

"You can't do this. I think I've caught pneumonia from being exposed like this. My chest is burning."

The boy did look a bit flushed but not that it mattered. Draco Malfoy would have to learn to deal with more significant threats to his wellbeing. The warden waved his hand and the chains released their hold on the prisoner allowing him to sink boneless to the ground.

"Herrick" he called and when the wizard guard appeared he motioned to the prone blond.

"This prisoner believes that he can make demands in regards to his treatment here. I beg to differ. Take him to his cell and make sure that he is bound securely. He will be on short rations until I say otherwise and see to it that every night he is returned to the post until he learns to shut up."

"Yes warden"

Draco who had been listening looked horrified and tried to hold himself back as the larger man approached him. Herrick grabbed his trembling arm and pulled him roughly to his feet. A brusque binding hex and a modified levitation had Draco helplessly floating behind him into the direction of the bowels of Azkaban. Warden Burbage stared at the pair until they were no longer visible.

"Master Chronos" as small elf-voice chimed from his left side.

"Yes Sunny?" he said without looking at the creature.

"Your breakfast is ready sir. Liggy said he'd clear the table when you were ready so that I could take the early ferry to see Miss Charity. That is if you approve"

"That's fine Sunny. You may go now."

"Sir…If I may… Is there something that you want me to say to Miss Charity? I know that she would love to hear from you." Sunny asked quietly.

Chronos closed his eyes A tightness had settled on his chest and breath was forced. "Sunny. My wife is dead. Her life, her mind - everything she was fed Voldemort's snake. All we have is an empty tomb."

Sunny shook his head and his great blue eyes dampened slightly. "No sir. We have memories lots of good memories. Miss Charity was too good to be gone just like that."

"I haven't forgotten her. I won't. Everything I will do will be for her. So that she will know that she had justice at the end. Trust me Sunny… she won't remain unavenged"

XxXxXxX

Draco stared at the ugly black cuff circling his tender wrist. Herrick had snapped it shut and sealed it with a wave from his wand. From now on he would be bound to his cell. To this tiny, filthy space that was to be his home.

NO...Home was a beautiful manor in Wiltshire with his parents and his magic and his freedom. It wasn't this horrible cell and that awful wooden post that he'd been chained to like a disobedient animal. It wasn't his striped robes or the chunk of dry bread and water that would be all he would have for the day. And it wasn't this feeling of remorse that told him that he well deserved everything that would be coming to him.

TBC.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The incident with Draco releasing the ghoul in Professor Charity Burbage's classroom is canon and I think is fitting that Chronos would remember it. Sunny is meant to resemble Dobby in his loyalty and good spirits. I am not certain whether he belonged to Charity or Chronos. I've yet to decide but he did have a hand in raising whoever brought him to the marriage. Thank you for reading.


End file.
